Soulmates
by natjrrt24
Summary: Will Graham is a weirdo at boarding school. He has to deal with bullying and his traumatic past and he thinks the school is the Hell. Then a new boy arrives, Hannibal Lecter, the king of the bullies and his new roommate. No Beta, sorry about the mistakes.
1. Chapter 1

**Soulmates - Chapter 1**

The car had stopped after five hours of silence between father and son. His father, Keith Graham, were still clutching the steering wheel, staring at nothing. Will, the son, looked at the outside through the window. The students of the Frederick Chilton's School for Boys were all arriving for the first day of the school year, using the uniform of the school which was a dark blue jacket embroidered with the emblem of the school, a white shirt, red tie and dark trousers. Will was also dressed in the uniform that was suffocating.

"It's a beaultiful day." Keith pondered giving a quick look through the windshield.

Will could not believe that after five hours in silence, that was all that his father had to say.

"It is." Will replied monosyllabic, not finding in turn any better thing to say.

Will looked once more to the outside. The car was parked right in front of the steel gates of the large property, where other parents were saying goodbye to their children. It was a boarding school, the boys who lived close would return home Saturday morning to return to school on Sunday afternoon. Since Will lived far, far away, that was the last time in months he would see his father.

Without another word, Will suddenly got out of the car, closing the door carefully, his father did the same. Keith then went to the rear of the car and with the key in hand, opened the trunk.

"You sure you'll be okay?" Keith asked with a hint of concern in his voice, a concern that he did not want to let show, what left him silent the entire trip.

"Why wouldn't i be okay?" Will replied dryly, picking up a heavy backpack from the hands of his father, when all he really wanted to say was 'Do I have a choice? '.

Keith nodded silent, he grabbed the second bag and handed it to Will who took it and tucked on the other shoulder.

"Tell her I'll be fine, don't worry." Will said, his mother had not come with them. The relationship between the two had been shaken during the summer and Will thought a five-hour trip in the car with her would not be a good idea.

"I will." Keith grinned. "Well, then, it's a goodbye."

"Goodbye." Will replied. He was holding the straps of backpacks and Keith knew he wouldn't drop it to hug him.

With more an exchange of awkward glances, Keith turned and got into his old Chevy. Will still stood outside the school, at the gates, seeing his father's car go back home at Wolf Trap.

Only then he took a deep breath. Wow, how those bags were heavy. He bowed his head for a moment, he felt that he would cry any time and Will didn't want that, not in front of all those people. Just like he was used to do, he swallowed his tears, he adjusted his backpack on his shoulders again and turned on his heel to walk once again in to Frederick Chilton's School for Boys.

That was a boarding school for the elite, realm of the richest heirs of the state area. Will Graham had gotten a scholarship at this boarding school. At sixteen, he was is the second year of high school. He had curly black hair and deep blue eyes, his skin was pale and he had a few freckles on his upturned nose. He was small and thin compared to the other students and since he would not join the Rugby Team for "not having the profile" Will was not exactly popular. God knew that he was light years away from that. To make things worse, Will was considered the weird of the school, and he knew it. Will's problems were so many that he didn't even know how to begin to explain. So he would do as usual: swallow in dry and move on as best he could, hoping not to bump into anyone on the way.

Balancing as he could, Will carried his heavy luggage through the campus, observing people. There were some new faces, however most were known.

"Will!" He heard a familiar voice behind him calls him.

He turned and saw Alan Bloom running toward him.

"Hi Will." He was out of breath when he reached the boy.

"Hi Alan." Will replied. "How are you?"

Alan laid eyes on the backpacks and with a reproachful look to Will he reached out a hand. Will handed him one of the backpacks. Will knew very well that Alan would not let him carry all that weight, it wasn't necessary to speak, it was written in his face.

"Where are you going?" Alan asked as they resumed walking across campus.

"To the office, I have to catch my schedule and I have know what room I'm staying."

Alan slowed and seemed to take something from the pocket of his jacket. It was a small piece of paper which he handed to Will.

"I've got it for you already." he returned to walk fast. "The office is a hell, and since I know you..." he paused, "well, whatever, it's all there."

"Thank you." Will replied looking away.

Alan was a good friend, in fact, he was his only friend, since he came to this school one year ago. He was tall and strong, had dark hair and green eyes. He had quite a sense of humor. He was not exactly popular, but maintained a good relationship with everyone, and did not seem to bother with Will's eccentricities, in fact, Alan sometimes stood on Wills side when he was mocked and bullied, and that was a frequent thing . Will began to read the piece of paper.

"We are together in Chemistry and Geography." Alan said even before Will asked.

"Great." He replied. He turned the paper and on the back it read Room 270 ."Room 270?"

"I'm at 254, I'm sorry." Alan made an upset face, but then smiled excited "At least we're on the same floor."

"With whom you will share a room?"

"Guess what." He rolled his eyes. "Brian Zeller" He pretended to have a chill.

"Stop it, poor boy." Will laughed. Brian was known throughout the school for having the highest snoring.

"Totally scary! If I get to sleep, which I doubt, I'll have nightmares about snoring. Poor me." he was silent for a while and then amended "And What about you? Aren't you curious to know who is going to be your new roommate?

"I'm not worried about it now, I got a lot to think about."

"But you should be worried." Alan sobered suddenly and made a face that normally he does when he will share terrible news. "Your roommate will be Hannibal Lecter, I read in the list."

"Who?" he asked confused.

"Hannibal Lecter, he is the new student but he didn't arrived here yet. The same can not be said about his fame." He said puzzled.

Will was still confused and hated it.

"But who..."

"God knows I don't like gossip or anything, but since you will share the room with him, it would be fair to prepare you psychologically." Alan then stopped midway and began to speak in a low voice, as if were telling a horror story. "They are saying that Hannibal was expelled from his old school, I mean, he was "asked to leave quietly " if you know what I mean. They say he beat his former roommate. He stood in the hospital for weeks. But as the boy didn't press charges, Hannibal was not arrested, he was just kicked out and now he is here."

"What?" Will was still absorbing those words.

"The money speaks loudly. He is the nephew of Robert Lecter, he is part of the European nobility, he is the Count of god knows where. He is filthy rich, and he should have paid for the silence of the poor guy who had to rebuild the nose and who knows what else. The guy is a psychopath."

"Oh, great, another Orc ." Will said with a snort. "As if we hadn't enough orcs in this school." Orc was the nickname that Will 'affectionately' used to refer to the bullys .

"Try not to think about it. If he wants to mess with you, let me know and i'll kick his ass back to europe." Alan said with that confident smile that was one of his trademarks.

They looked at each other for a moment. It was not the first nor the last time Will thanked God to have met Alan and have him as best friend.

As they walked up to the dormitories buildings, Will recalled the day they met:

A year earlier, in June, he was fifteen and Will couldn't look smaller and fragile. His father had left the boy at the gates just like today, but unlike now, he hadn't been able to hold back the tears and he went walking through the aisles sobbing and stumbling with his heavy backpacks. He have climbed the stairs, feeling his chest getting heavier, feeling that all the eyes were on him. All the students here were like vultures who know that an animal will die even before the animal itself know that. Will felt that they could see through him and they knew all his secrets, even before he revealed them. All he wanted was to disappear in the darkest of the holes. He arrived in front of room 378, the number of his dormitory. Already armed with the keys, Will opened the door and tried to get in, but his heavy backpacks stuck in the door and Will fell inside, with backpack and all, sprawled on the floor. Alan was already inside, unpacking his bags. He was his roommate, back then. Alan quickly stepped forward to help him.

"Are you okay, dude?" Alan said taking one of the backpacks from the boy and ducked making mention of touching his arm, but Will pushed him, strangely scared.

"Calm down, man." Said Alan, amazed at the reaction of the boy.

They looked at each other for a moment and everything that Will could do was cry. He cried and sobbed uncontrollably there on the floor. At that moment, he felt so desperate. His father dispatched him to this school miles and miles away because they could not bear the reality, they could not stand his presence. It scared Alan for a moment, he thought he had seriously hurt Will, but then he realized that no, the boy was just crying, a sort of panic attack, but nothing more. Alan closed the bedroom door so that other curious students who were beginning to pile up in the hallway would not see Will in his most fragile state. He knelt beside Will, waiting until he calmed down . That's when Alan realized that "touch" was a limit that should not be crossed again and he never did.

The two boys became friends since then, Alan kinda had adopted Will as a younger brother. He took care of him, protecting him from the orcs, made him company, and at some point in this friendship, Will felt comfortable enough to tell his secret to Alan. In that day, Alan wept with pity and asked if he could hug Will, the boy refused the hug and that was it. They never went back on this subject, but from there, the bond of their friendship had become stronger.


	2. Chapter 2

**Soulmates - Chapter 2**

Will found his new dorm without difficulty because the last year dorm was in the same building. The room was basically the same as another, divided into two identical environments: two beds, two closets, two desks, finally, two of everything. When Will entered the room, he noticed that there were two large expensive-looking suitcases on top of the bed next to the window. Apparently, Hannibal Lecter had arrived to the school, however, there was no sign of the presence of that new student in that room. The boy thanked in silence the fact of not having to face the Orc so soon. He wanted to prepare himself first.

It was just bad luck. Coping with bullies at school was a terrible thing. You learned to circumvent most of them choosing the right places for lunch and corridors which you should not walk in. Sometimes it was better to give up and hiding in your own dorm. But at this point, Will was screwed. The Bully-King would be his roommate. How could he avoid the kid ? But he didn't wanted to think about it yet. Will snorted and threw his backpack on top of the bed near the door, since it was the only option. "I'll unpack the bags later." He pondered while leaving the dorm.

In th first day of school, ironically, there were no classes. Students were led to the auditorium where they were required to attend lectures on the teaching content, the presentation of new teachers and one most boring dissertation on school rules. Nothing new.

When Will realized, it was lunchtime and the students were allowed to go to the cafeteria or anywhere else within the school property if they so wished. Will wanted Alan to keep him company, but the boy had told him he would have to settle the final details about being the new probationer in the school infirmary. So Will went to lunch alone.

In the cafeteria, the most absurd stories about the new student were already being told. Some said he was a junkie punk, some said that he was a serial killer sought in Europe. Will had no patience nor the stomach to hear those bullshits.

The boy liked to stay in the schoolyard. He sat on one of the wooden benches under the shade of a large tree, where he could enjoy a quiet and out of trouble lunch. However, no matter how Will tried to stay away from trouble, the trouble were not far from him. He was hiding, actually. In the cafeteria there would be bullies, and Will didn't want to see them.

Will was eating a chicken sandwich sitting on one of the wooden benches. There was a cool breeze blowing and Will closed his eyes. He liked to do that sometimes, getting lost in thought. Sometimes he was so absorbed in thoughts that other people thought that Will was having a stroke or something. This was another one of the reasons he was branded a weirdo. Will knew that this was the calm before the storm. And it really was.

"Hey Graham! Wake up!" Will heard the voice he dreaded and couldn't believe Garrett Jacob Hobbs had already found him.

Will opened his eyes. Garrett (or Gary, as he liked to be called) was there, wearing his school uniform. He was the captain of the Rugby Team. He was tall, he had blond hair cut very close, his blue eyes and his smile were hateful. He was surrounded by his fellow bullys. Tobias Budge was a dark-skinned boy who had talent with the violin but joined the team, (because beating people with permission to do so is better). Abel Gideon had a mohican hairstyle and green eyes. It was not as tall as his friends, but had joined the team simply for being violent. He followed Gary throughout the campus as a puppy.

The three were always seen together and played on terror in Frederick Chilton's School for Boys. Ironically, they had chosen Will as his sacrificial lamb since the kid set foot in that damn school.

"What do you want?" Will replied with a snort.

"You're back! I thought you were not going back to this school." Gary said smirking.

"What can I say? I love the people here." Will teased. "With such nice people, how could I stay away?

This was a defense mechanism that Will had developed. When he was on the threshold of discomfort, he was extremely rude.

"Tell me, Graham, what are you doing here alone?" Said Gary approaching and sitting next to the boy who tensed. "We saw your boyfriend Alan in the infirmary. And since he left you alone on this glorious afternoon, we'll keep you company." He smirked and he put his arms around the boy and the boy cowered in terror "But what is it?" He asked pointing to the sandwich in the trembling hands of the boy.

"I think it's his lunch." Gideon said taking a step forward and sitting beside Will, keeping the boy in place.

"Oh, really?" Gary took the sandwich from Will's hands, watching it curiously. "But this sandwich is not good. Here ..." Gary spat on the sandwich and put it back in Will's hands. "Now you can eat it."

Will wanted to disappear. His hands were shaking. He was angry, he was afraid. He wanted a black hole would open there in which he could jump and vanish from the earth.

"Eat it." Gary said with intimidating voice, as if giving an order. And it was a order.

Will could no longer bear it. Every day was the same thing. He was on edge. Why did he have to be so weak and let that happen? Will had to react.

Will threw the sandwich on Gary's face and tried to run, but Tobias grabbed him. Will struggled and tried to loosen up, but then Gideon also held him, each one of then holding one of his arms. Just to help, Gideon pulled his hair so that Will kept his chin up to look at Gary who cleaned his face with his hands. Will saw him coming like a lion approaches the prey, and he panicked.

"But who would have thought. The puppy is learning to attack." He said approaching and Will started to hyperventilate. He had seen this movie before. "What should I do with this naughty puppy?"

"I think a good punishment would be appropriate." Tobias suggested. Will could not breathe.

"What kind of punishment would be appropriate for him?" Gary mused.

Will could not believe this was happening again. He started to cry.

"Oh, we have not started yet and he's already crying like a baby." Gideon laughed.

"This must be a new record." Tobias added.

"Well, since he is waiting for a terrible thing, we will not disappoint him. Right, guys?" Gary said and grabbed Will's collar hard to bring him closer and said in his ear. "You will be my bitch."

Will struggled as a desperate cat. Then it happened, the moment that changed his life.

"Let the boy go." A voice with a strange accent sounded not far from where they were.

Everyone looked in that direction. Ten feet away from them was a boy. He had dark blond hair, he was tall and strong. He wore the school uniform, but not the jacket, just the shirt, pants, and the tie was loose around his neck. He wore the collar turned up and the sleeves of his shirt were also raised to the elbow, showing a very punkish leather bracelet. None of them knew the boy.

"What?" Gary said diverting his attention from Will to the strange boy.

"Are you deaf or something? Let the kid go." The blond boy said , almost smiling.

"Do You know this fagot?" Gary asked turning to look at Will.

"I don't need to know him to know you." he said and everyone was silent. He then took a few steps forward, approaching the small group. "I know your kind. You'd torment these kids to feel you on top. You are violent, arrogant, you walk in group because you can not handle the job alone. Hangs out with these idiots on your side to not look so stupid, but you are ridiculous." He said pointing to the two that held Will.

"Dude, did you lose the sense of danger?" Gary finally loosened the grip on Will and approached menacingly over the blond boy.

"I never had it." He replied with a smile.

"Tell me your name, so I'll send you flowers at the hospital, because that's where you're going when i'm done with you."

"Hannibal Lecter." He said with the warmest of smiles. "L-e-c-t-e-r." He said and spelled. "And I do like tulips, thank you very much."

All the boys were silent after that statement of that who they now knew to be Hannibal Lecter, the new student. Will looked at the boy's face for the first time. That was his new roommate, the dreaded European Bully.

"H-Hannibal Lecter?" Gideon stammered.

"Yes, yes, Hannibal Lecter, blah-blah-blah, I almost killed a person, blah-blah-blah. Let's skip the introductions and go to what really matters." Hannibal approached Gary and said. "If I see or get to know you three are bothering this kid or anyone under the roof of this school, I'll forget I'm a Noble. Again. We agree?"

There were tension in the air. Gary seemed likely to have a stroke. He looked at Hannibal with a look of pure hatred. He then walked away and went to Will, who was still under the grip of that two boys.

"This is not over yet." He motioned with his head for the two to released the boy who fell to the ground panting.

The three orcs walked away from there, leaving the yard and going to the main building.

"I hate bullies." He said and walked over to Will, kneeling beside him. "Are you okay?"

Will looked at Hannibal. His eyes were red. What a strange thing. Hannibal looked at the boy with genuine concern, waiting for an answer.

"I'm fine." Will lied.

Hannibal reached out and grabbed his forearm, but Will repelled him as if it were on fire. Will knew that the intention of the boy was only to help him to get up, but Will didn't want to be touched, not after that.

The blond boy looked at him with a knowing look and stood up and held out his hand again, hoping Will to take it. Will looked away and stood up alone. He walked slowly to the bench where he sat down heavily. He was breathing with great difficulty.

"Do you have asthma? You want me to take you to the infirmary?" Hannibal asked worriedly sitting beside him.

Will shook his head. He felt bad, humiliated. He wanted to disappear. He felt nauseous. Before he knew it, he leaned to the side and began to vomit all over.

"Are you sure you don't want to go to the infirmary?" Hannibal asked again. Will simply gestured with his hand, saying no.

Will leaned back in the seat again, wiping his mouth with his sleeve. He looked back to Hannibal. He just didn't know what to think. The biggest bully of all times had helped him with the orcs. Why?

"Thank you." Will said softly.

"You're welcome." Hannibal said. "What is your name?"

"William. William Graham." Will replied feeling that bad taste in the mouth.

"Nice to meet you, William." Hannibal said with a smile. "I am ..."

"I know who you are. Your reputation had preceded you." Will said harsher than he intended to sound.

"That's good, otherwise, those guys would not have leave so easily."

Will turned back to Hannibal. That was not who he was expecting. When Will heard about Hannibal that morning, he had expected someone more like Gary, but Hannibal was completely different from the demon that Will was painting in his head.

"If I remember the list correctly, we are roommates." Hannibal said with a smile. "I think we got off on the right foot then."

Will was confused by everything that was happening.

"Well, I have some issues to deal with the Principal. Are you sure you'll be okay? "

Will nodded, unable to take his eyes of Hannibal.

"So I'll see you soon."

Hannibal stood up and walked across the yard, out of sight as he entered the main building, leaving Will alone and dazed.


	3. Chapter 3

**Soulmates - chapter 3**

Will had not went to his dorm shortly after being left alone in the yard. After lunch, the students had been allowed to go to their dorms and umpack their things, settling in the dorm they would occupy for a whole year. After the boy had calmed down, he managed to get to the kennel. Even with high walls, the school administrators worried about the safety of their students and kept guard dogs that got stuck in the kennel during the day and at night they were released.

Will realized early on that he preferred the company of a dog than the company of a person. They were less complicated. It was not rare to see him in the kennel taking care of the dogs, helping to feed them, or just quiet sitting and looking at them.

They were four black Mastiffs, all beautiful and friendly, but his preferred one was Winston, the smallest one. He was clumsy and very affectionate with Will (only with Will). The boy liked to stroke his head. It was soothing.

Once the boy was alone, he sat on a bench in front of the cages of the dogs and he finally collapsed. Will began to weep bitterly, the shock finally doing its job. The boy was trembling from head to toe.

He could still hear the words that Gary has said: "You will be my bitch.".

What Will had done so wrong after all? He searched his memory for an answer to this question not being able to find any. There was simply no reason why Gary had decided that Will would be his target. He remembered all the fear he felt when Gary threatened him.

"You will be my bitch." This phrase was echoing in his head.

Will had already been humiliated by Gary in all possible ways. Would he have the courage to ...

He didn't know and didn't want to imagine what would have happened if Hannibal had not showed up on time. Will remembered the blond-tall boy. The intimidating tone he used to threaten Gary and the other Orcs. Hannibal had helped him, but at the same time he seemed so ... so ... dangerous.

Will saw a predator in those eyes, equal to or worse than Gary. A Wolf . Will still couldn't understand why he had bothered to help him when he could have stood still and juswatched the show. With a chill in the spine, Will came to the conclusion that Hannibal was plotting something terrible. If the boy took into account the marvelous story he had heard in the cafeteria, he could believe that Hannibal was capable of much worse. Will decided he didn't want to know. He would avoid Hannibal at any cost. That would be difficult since they shared the dorm, but ignore bad things and pretend he was invisible were skills that every nerd develops.

When the boy looked at his watch, it was already late afternoon. He left the kennel and walked to the building where the dorms were finding none of the bullies in the way. He climbed the stairs to his floor, praying that Hannibal was not there. He wanted peace, he wanted to lie down on his bed and forget that this terrible day had happened. He didn't want to have to keep looking over his shoulder all the time. He knew one thing: He didn'd trusted Hannibal.

But such things do not happen the way we want, so when Will had opened the door of the room 270, hewalked into a scene that later he would remember fondly. The blond boy were lying in his respective bed, reclined on pillows. He was reading a book. He wore jeans and a black cotton shirt with a picture of a rock band that Will did not know. There was music playing, or at least, Will believed that noise coming out of the MP3 player o Hannibal's nightstand were music somehow. That was a Count ? That was a European Young Noble ? At most he looked like a punk without a penny. Hannibal Lecter was a walking contradiction.

Apparently, he had already unpacked his bags, because his side of the room was already organized and his personal belongings such as books, CDs and some decorative items had already found theis places on the shelves of the bookcase.

Once the blonde saw Will standing there at the doorway he put the book aside and straightened.

"Hello William. Do you feel better?" Hannibal said with a friendly smile.

Will looked up and nodded. He ran his hand nervously in his dark curls and hissed. He felt butterflies in his stomach when he saw Hannibal there. It was an embarrassing situation.

The boy went to his bed where his bags were still waiting to be undone. Will unfastened the first one and began to empty it.

"Do you need help?" Hannibal asked rising from where he was and taking a step toward the dark haired boy.

That was unintentional. Will had taken a step back reflexively terrified, hitting his legs on his desk when he saw Hannibal move in his direction. He saw that Hannibal had stopped in the middle of the room. He could say that Hannibal was surprised by this reaction. Will himself was surprised by this reaction.

Will looked away and stared at his shoes. His fists were clenched, his whole posture was tense. What Will was waiting for? That Hannibal had decided he wanted to play with the puppy Will ? Will had seen this film so many times he wouldn't be surprised if it were the truth. The boy was forced to look at Hannibal's face. The warm smile he wore had vanished, replaced by a serious expression. The scarlet eyes sparkled and once again, Will saw a predator in his eyes.

"Whatever." Hannibal said seriously and went back to his bed, lying down and leaning back against the pillows before picking up his book and returning to reading.

Will let out a breath he didn't know he was holding and relaxed a little when he noticed Hannibal seemed to be ignoring him, but you can never fully relax when you are in the Wolf's Lair.

The boy went back to unpacking, removing everything from inside the backpacks and putting everything in its proper place. As he did it, he looked at Hannibal with his peripheral vision, realizing intrigued that Hannibal wasn't turning the pages of the book, he only pretended to read. But why?

Once Will finished unpacking everything, he grabbed his pajamas and a towel and went to the bathroom that was right there in the dorm to take a bath. All he wanted was to take a hot bath and sleep until the end of the world. The boy took the bath, leaving plenty of hot water falling on his back, as if the water from the shower was enough to take his fears away. When Will finally came out of the bathroom, Hannibal was not in the room, his book was on the shelf and his MP3 Player was off.

Will breathed heavily and collapsed on his bed.

He saw nothing that night.


	4. Chapter 4

**Soulmates – Chapter 4**

When Will awoke in the next morning, Hannibal's bed was tidy as if he had not spent the night there. Will was so exhausted from the trip that he slept soundly the entire night, and thank God, with no nightmares.

The boy took a quick shower and got dressed. He grabbed his books and ran down the stairs, because he was late for the first class of the year.

He wasn't late after all. Other students were arriving to enjoy the most boring class of the school curriculum, Geography, with Professor Jimmy Price. When Will got in the classroom, he smiled. Alan was there and saved a place for Will beside him in the middle of the classroom, as always. Will tripped over his legs as he walked toward the seat, falling to the ground and dropping his books. Will blushed with shame. Everyone started laughing at him, except for Alan who was at his side in a heartbeat, helping him to get up (without touching him) picking up his books from the floor.

"Such a perfect way to start the year." Alan made the joke to ease the embarrassing situation.

"You have no idea." Will replied remembering the previous day, unable to help but feel a chill down his spine.

The two boys walked across the room and took their seats. Will rubbed his eyes, he was starting to get a headache lately and it got worse when he was nervous or anxious.

"So, how is our new friend ?" Alan asked suddenly intrigued. Will had returned his attention to his friend.

"I don't know. We have not talked yet." Will said visibly disturbed. That was not a total lie. The few words that Will and Hannibal had changed could not be described as a 'conversation' anyway.

"Well, then your silence must have made an impression because he don't stop staring at you." Alan said with a tone somewhat intrigued.

"What do you mean?" Will asked confused.

Alan motioned with his head pointing to the back of the classroom. Will followed the gesture with his eyes and saw Hannibal Lecter sitting in his seat looking at Will with a curious look. He wore the uniform jacket, but his tie was still misaligned and his blond hair had a slight mohawk hairstyle, like David Beckham. He was sitting casually, as if not paying attention to anything but ... Will.

"Damn." Will looked away, returning to settle at his seat, but even he was not looking, he could feel Hannibal's scarlet eyes watching him. "If I pretend I'm having a stroke would I be released from this class?"

"It's everything okay, Will?" Alan asked noticing the boy's reaction.

Will nodded.

"You can't lie to me." Alan mused. "There's something wrong."

"It's nothing." Will shook his hand.

"I don't like the way he's looking at you." Alan said not being discreet and looking over his shoulder to where Hannibal was. "It's like ..."

"A Wolf, I know." Will interrupted supporting his forearms on his desk and burying his face in his hands.

"Did he tried to mess with you and you don't want to tell me?" Alan said seriously.

Will shook his head.

"Never mind. I'm fine. He is scary, that's all." He said and at that moment Professor Price entered the room, ushering in geography class and the subject was closed.

The rest of the class went like this. No matter how Will tried to pay attention in class, he ended up returning his attention to the back of the room, where Hannibal kept staring at him.

Once the class ended Will said goodbye to Alan that would go to math class, while Will was going to Literature class. He thought he would be free of the weight of Hannibals stare by then, but when he got in the room intended to literature, whom he saw there? Yes, Hannibal Lecter.

Again, Hannibal was there in the back, but this time Will didn't have Alan to distract him and so, Literature was as uncomfortable as Geography. But Will tried not to despair. After all, he only had two classes with Alan, it would be very ironic if he would share some more classes with Hannibal. However, when he left the room toward History class, the same thing happened. "What the fuck?!" He thought when he saw Hannibal Lecter enter the classroom after him and take a seat in the back of the classroom.

Will could not concentrate in class. Every five minutes he turned to see the blond student looking at him with that interested look. In the middle of class, Will turned aside again and Hannibal waved at him with a smile. Will had curb the urge to get up and ask directly to Hannibal what he wanted, but he was sure it would only make things worse.

Lunchtime came and Will thought this time he would have a little bit of peace. As it had begun to rain, he had no choice but to eat lunch in the cafeteria. He took a tray with a meal that was not good-looking and he managed to find an empty table he would keep for Alan, but after some time, the boy did not show up in the cafeteria. Will thought that maybe he was helping in the infirmary, as it was his role now.

He began to eat his meal when he was distracted by the sound of a tray being placed on his the table and he realized that someone had sat in front of him. He looked up, expecting to find Alan, but it was not who he saw. Hannibal was sitting in front of him with his tray, like he had the right to be there. Will dropped his fork with a clatter.

"What are you doing?" Will asked surly.

"I'm having lunch." Hannibal replied picking up his fork and poked his food. "I'll try, at least, if this food not eat me first, this steak is raw!" He looked suspiciously at the plate in front of him.

Will could not believe it.

"No! what I mean is: What are you doing here at this table?" he said exasperated. "With so many others in this cafeteria, why this one?

"Again... I'm having lunch." Hannibal frowned. "You're not very observant, aren't you?"

"Man, you're scary!" Will said shaking his head.

"Such a rude way to refer to a Count." Hannibal took a bite of the food into his mouth. Hannibal looked at him with the most calm and concise expression of the world.

"Count? I'm referring to the totally creepy guy who is following me in every class i have! It's like a god damn Hitchcock's movie." He said louder than it should and some heads turned in his direction. Will was angry.

"You do not consider that the classes are not chosen by students, but by the secretaries. Therefore, the fact that we have the same classes is completely by chance." He said with a annoying tone. "Eat, William. I know you didn't eat your breakfeast today."

"Look, Hannibal, I don't know what you're up to, but I'm not enjoying this. Thank you for helping me yesterday with the Orcs but ... "

"Orcs?" Hannibal had interrupted. "From the Lord of the Rings?"

"It's a nerd thing, that's how I have named the bullies." Will explained. "Anyway ... Thanks for the help yesterday, but you don't have to follow me twenty-four hours a day. I don't need a Nanny" he said standing up. "And definitely I don't need a stalker."

Will stood up abruptly and left the cafeteria. He never saw the smile plastered on Hannibal's face.


	5. Chapter 5

**Soulmates – Chapter 5**

_**The night before ... **_

Hannibal saw the boy with curly black hair and big blue eyes get tense, take a step back and bump on his desk. The boy was terrified just of the fact Hannibal had take a step toward him.

William was scared of him.

The blonde boy could not stop looking at that terrified creature. There was so much fear in his big blue eyes that Hannibal could almost feel it.

He analyzed all the situation at a fraction of seconds. Little William was harassed by these bullies for too long, he must have been conditioned to fear taller and stronger boys than him. The boy should be painting Hannibal as a demon in his head. Poor thing. William was like a puppy. Small, fragile, frightened. Hannibal wondered what sort of things had happened to the boy reacted like this.

Hannibal looked at Will and could not think of anything that could be more helpless, and when the boy looked at him again and their eyes met, Hannibal had made his decision, but that was not the time yet.

"Whatever." He said in the most annoyed way and walked away, back to his bed. He would have to give him some space first, he did not want to frighten Will.

He picked up his book again and stared at it but did not read it. He could not pay attention to reading with all the plans he was already drawing in his head. It was hard to pretend to ignore the boy, but Hannibal was a patient person, and patiently he would wait the things to happen. It was then that Will walked into the bathroom to bath.

Hannibal would make his first move.

He rose from his bed as he heard the sound of the shower being turned on. He calmly put his book in its place on the shelf, he turned off his MP3 player and went out of his room. Hannibal left the building and went to the Principal's Office.

The blond boy didn't have to wait to be received in the Principal's Office. Jack Crawford was a dark skinned man in middle age. He always had a concerned face, this helped him to rule this school and it was not uncommon to hear from the students that Crawford would do well commanding a police group, in the FBI, maybe. Crawford was watching some papers, sitting on his comfortable chair on the other side of a large oak desk when the boy entered.

Crawford pointed to the chair in front of his desk aimed at visitors for Hannibal to sit and he did. The two looked at each other for a moment.

"Can I help you?" Jack asked with a bored tone.

"I want you to do me a favor." Hannibal said seriously. "I want you to put me in all the classes that little William Graham is." Hannibal said with authority.

Jack Crawford stared at Hannibal and then started laughing.

"Sorry, kid, but it will not be possible."

"Why not?" Hannibal asked petulantly.

"You have no idea how complicated it was to organize the schedule of classes." Crawford became serious.

"I can't see any complication if you let me attend the same classes of William." He said quietly.

Crawford looked at him puzzled.

"Why this sudden interest in the little one?" Jack asked, frowning.

"It's none of your business." Hannibal replied harshly.

Crawford seemed annoyed.

"Who do you think you are? You think just because you're a 'noble' you can rule my school?" Crawford shifted uncomfortably in his chair.

"I asked this as a favor, Crawford, but if I have to avail of my position to get what I want, I will." Hannibal replied and smiled evilly.

'So what you have in mind? You will bribe me? "

"Bribery?" Hannibal snorted. "What a ungainly thing!" He smiled. "But maybe, just maybe, the grant that my uncle would give for the new teachers lounge would be better spent on a new car for me. As his only nephew, he is always very happy to please me, and all I have to do is to ask ..." Hannibal saw the face of Jack Crawford turns white. "You know, people can change their minds." Hannibal hated having to use a low blow like that, but he would not keep efforts to get what he wanted. And what he wanted was...

Hannibal smiled and knew then that he had won the first battle. That night, he left the office of Jack Crawford with his new schedules in hands. When Hannibal returned to his dormitory, he found Will fast asleep, lying on his stomach and his curls falling over his eyes. Hannibal restrained the urge to touch him.

But it was not the time yet.


	6. Chapter 6

**Soulmates – Chapter 6**

The first days went like this: Will Graham entered the classroom praying that Hannibal wasn't there, but every day, in every class, there he was, sitting on the back of the classroom and staring at Will the entire period as a predator.

Every day at lunch time Will was hiding in a different place, because Hannibal also insisted on sitting at the same table in the cafeteria, of course, when Alan was not around. After the team started training, Alan started to have a lot to do in the infirmary, leaving Will alone most of the time. His friend didn't want to leave him alone like that, especially when he knew that Gary was ruthless when it came to Will and that Hannibal was not reliable. Alan always asked Will if everything was okay and Will lied, saying it was. In fact, Will was about to have a nervous breakdown. Apart from having to watch his back because of Gary and his gang, now had to be on alert all the time, because everywhere we went, there was Hannibal peering at him. However, Hannibal had not found the kennel, good, at least Will still had a refuge.

Will didn't want to talk to Hannibal, and when they were alone in his bedroom, he quickly connected his MP3 player, put the headphones on and grabbed one of his books, trying at all costs to pretend he was not there, drowning himself in Bon Jovi and Stephen King until he fall asleep.

But then came the event that was the beginning of everything. If this had not happened, things might not have taken the course they did.

After long hours hiding in the kennel after he hed bumped into Gary after the fifth period, Will was returning to his dorm. He ran up the stairs of the building and stopped in the midlle of the way when he saw Alan coming down the stairs with a suitcase in hand. He was leaving? What happened? Both looked at each other and Will realized that Alan had his face washed with tears.

"Alan? What happened?" Will asked intrigued with the state of his best friend.

"My mom just called me ..." Alan said with a trembling voice. "My father had a car accident ..."

"Oh my God, Alan ..." Will said shocked.

"She did not tell me how he is, she just told me to go home urgently ..." Alan tried to control his crying, but he couldn't.

"He'll be fine." Will said approaching his Friend.

"I have to go ..." Alan said wiping his face with his sleeve "Pricipal Crawford knows and he called me a taxi, it must have arrived.".

Alan leaned over to hug Will, but stopped in mid-gesture because Will had taken a step backwards. Will felt angry with himself at that moment. He was not able to hug his best friend to comfort him in such a situation. Will was an idiot. A hug was all that Alan asked. A fucking hug, and Will just couldn't do it.

"I'm sorry, Alan." That was all Will could say.

"I know." Alan looked away and walked down the stairs and out of sight.

As he climbed the stairs to his floor, Will felt bad for Alan and hoped that his father would be okay. Will come to know Alan's father last year and he was really cool. His friend had talked several times about how much he loved the old man and so he knew how much he must be suffering.

But beyond this, as he was getting close to his bedroom door, the reality of what had just happened hit him like a punch in the face. Alan had left the boarding school, leaving him alone in the lair of the Wolf.

Will was going to the boring geography class, feeling a chill down his spine, because Alan was not there to distract him. Hannibal would be there for sure, creepy stalker as he was. Will had talked to the Principal Crawford when this had began, requesting that his classes were relocated, but Crawford simply smiled and said he could do nothing. Damn.

Like a bull going to the slaughter, Will entered the classroom and his eyes immediately met Hannibal. The blond boy used to walk with no less weird Francis Dolarhyde, a tall, strong man, with a scar on his face because of the cleft lip. He was part of the team because he was big and violent. Another orc, but surprisingly he had never had problems with Will. The boy thought that the friendship between the two would be expected when he began to see the two sitting side by side in the classroom. However, the place next to Hannibal normally occupied by Francis was empty, and the boy with the scar was sitting in another part of the classroom. Will found it odd and thought it best not to think about it as he lowered his head and walked slowly to his seat.

"William!"

Will heard a familiar voice calling him and he prayed that it was a hallucination, but when he lifted his head to see where the call came from, he saw Hannibal waving at him. Then, to his horror, the blond boy pointed to the place next to him. He was calling Will.

Will felt the ground disappear beneath his feet. Does Hannibal was just waiting Alan to leave to start attacking him like all other bullies? Will didn't want to have any more problems, it was too difficult to live with his personal problems, his mild autism and Gary, the Terrible. He did not want a Creepy Count on his heels. Will shook his head and continued toward his place, but he did not avoid Hannibal so easy. The blond boy stood up from his chair and came approaching Will, walking slowly to stop right next to him, and said in a tone that only Will could hear:

"Did you know that it is extremely rude to ignore a person, William?" He said with a smile.

"Sorry." Will said quietly, feeling smaller and smaller. He felt his hands start to shake and Hannibal smiled.

"I saved a place for you, come sit with me." Hannibal said the most natural way.

Will wanted to scream that he didn't want to sit beside him. Will wanted to run away. Will wanted a hole in the ground to open up where he could jump and hide forever.

"I'd rather sit alone, thank you." Will said through his teeth and looked away.

Hannibal grinned and moved closer to the boy who stepped back instinctively.

"I guess you noticed that I did not ask anything. I stated. You will sit there with me."

Hannibal made a gesture pointing to the back of the classroom and gave room for the boy. Will looked away and started walking to the back of the room.

Why? Why? Why did this have to happen? Did Will had a target painted on his back? They found their seats and sat beside each other. Will looked away, not wanting to look at Hannibal's face. Will's hands were shaking. He knew Hannibal would do something terrible, he knew it. When Hannibal had spoken with him with that tone, that was humiliating. Will felt so weak, so frustrated. What had he done so wrong to deserve being persecuted? He was afraid of Hannibal and angry with himself for letting such things happen.

The boy was not well. He was on edge. Will was like a glass full of water and the words of Hannibal was the drop to make the glass overflow. When he realized, tears were falling fron his eyes and he began to hyperventilate, though no one besides Hannibal noticed the state of the boy, since the two were in the back of the classroom.

"You're having a panic attack, William. Breathe." Hannibal said in a firm voice, but not threatening.

Will tried to calm down, but he just couldn't. He kept crying and breathing as if all the air of the world had gone.

"William, look at me." Hannibal commanded and Will not obeyed, he would not look at Hannibal and see the evil grin of Hanibal. The boy was terrified and nobody there seemed to notice what was happening in the back of the classroom. Will then felt the hand of Hannibal touching his chin and he recoiled in terror, but Hannibal held him tight and look in his eyes.

Hannibal was not smiling evilly as Will expected, he actually had a gentle expression.

"Breathe." He said in a soft tone.

Will was confused. How Hannibal could be an Orc in a minute and the next minute talks so gentle? Hannibal was still holding his chin and look into his eyes and all that Will could think about were those scarlet eyes and how Hannibal held his chin firm, but did not hurt him.

The boy began to calm down and breathe properly. Hannibal released his chin and stroked the curls of Will's hair. He flinched once again , but not like the first time.

"Are You alright? Can we talk? "

Will wiped his face with his sleeve and looked away again. He leaned back in his chair and nodded. His headache was getting stronger.

"I noticed that Alan Bloom left school yesterday." Hannibal said not taking his eyes off the boy.

"It is not of your business." He replied sharply.

Hannibal smiled.

"You're always so rude, or just when you're scared?" Hannibal asked not taking his eyes off the boy. Will looked at him for a moment.

"What do you want, Lecter?" He said harsher still.

The blond boy smiled.

"I want to be your friend."

Wow, wait a minute. Hannibal Lecter wanted to be his friend?

"Friend? Why now?" Will was confused.

"Well..." Hannibal smiled in a way that made Will feel goose bumps. "If we become friends, things would be easier for me, and I wouldn't have to peek you anymore."

"Oh, so you admit you were stalking me!"

"It was for a good cause."

"And what would it be?"

Hannibal took a deep breath and looked away.

"I have reasons to want to protect you."

Hannibal turned back to Will who had a suspicious look.

"And may I know what are those reasons?"

"No... yet." Hannibal said seriously. "Someday."

Will looked at Hannibal for a while, absorbing the words. Hannibal wanted to protect him? Why? What had he to do with it? Will had conflicting feelings at that moment: for more that the rational part of him told him that Hannibal was dangerous, a stupid part of his brain could only think of how Hannibal's eyes were ... beautiful.


	7. Chapter 7

**Soulmates – chapter 7**

_On the previous day ... _

Hannibal was walking with Francis Dolarhyde by one of several hallways of that school. They were leaving the last class of the day, Biology, with Ms. Beverly Katz (the only female teacher at school). He would accompany Francis to the training of the team, then look for Will.

It was getting difficult to pry the boy, every day he chose a different place to stay. Will was not stupid, he realized that Hannibal had interest in him. He tried to be discreet in this stalking thing, but the boy had already noticed it and he was avoiding Him. Will probably should be thinking that Hannibal wanted to do him harm. Ah, if he knew the truth.

The two walked side by side in the hallway and Francis said something about his desire to make a huge tattoo on his back, but Hannibal was not paying attention. He looked around, searching for some sign of Will. Right ahead, Hannibal could see the trio of orcs. Gary, Tobias and Gideon were coming towards him and Hannibal stopped walking and watched them approach.

"... Like, a Red Dragon would be cool ..." Francis continued his monologue and realized that his new friend had stopped. "What happen?" He then turned his attention to the trio that was approaching.

"Hey Francis, you're walking with him now?" Gideon said pointing to Hannibal. "I thought you were with us."

"I prefer the company of intelligent people." He replied sarcastically.

Gideon got the joke and took a step forward, ready to punch Francis, but Gary stopped him with a shake of the head.

"How's our little friend, Lecter?" Gary said with an evil grin. "You two share the room, don't you? Have you fucked him? After all, how can you resist those big blue eyes? His skin must be so soft..." Gary smirked. "I bet he screams like a slut."

Hannibal almost lost control at that time. He took a step in the direction of Gary, but this time was Francis who stopped him, holding his arm. If Francis had not stopped him, Hannibal would have given such a strong punch in Gary that he would have broken his hand. How dare he talk about Will that way? But he knew that was what he wanted, make Hannibal loose control, because students who fought in the school would be expelled. Hannibal controlled his violent impulse, but his expression showed what he felt. Gary noticed how he had been disturbed.

"Oh, I knew it! You're fucking that fagot." Gary said with a smirk.

"His name is William. And if you don't want me to rip your larynx with my hands, you will never speak of him that way. "

"What did this guy have anyway? First Alan, now you. I think I'll get in line. "

Gary said, turning to his friends with a smile and they practically clapped. When Gary turned to face Hannibal, he was punched in the face, however, the punch came from Francis.

Gary lost his balance and fell backwards, being supported by Tobias and Gideon who were now shocked by the scene, and Hannibal himself also was shocked for a moment. Francis looked at Hannibal and said:

"I can't stand this asshole."

"You punched me, you son of a bitch!" Gary cried with his hand on the broken nose that bled.

"I punched you?" Francis made a confused face. "No, no, this is a training injury. Rugby is a violent sport." Francis rarely used sarcasm, but when he used it, it was barbaric.

Gary straightened and wiped his nose on the sleeve of his blue coat.

"I'll get you two." He said through his teeth and looked at them with piercing eyes. "And that pussy too. You just can't watch him all the time."

Without another word, Gary and the orcs retreat from then, out of sight. Hannibal looked at Francis.

"Thank you."

"You're welcome. I know that if you get into trouble you will be kicked out, besides, beat him felt so good! "

Francis smiled and Hannibal smiled with him. When the two returned to walk, Hannibal smiled on the outside, but inside he was terribly worried, the last words of Gary echoed in his head. Gary was a wolf circling prey that was Will. He could not keep an eye on Will all the time, especially when the boy was afraid of him. And Alan, the best friend of Will did not trust Hannibal and never left the boy alone for long. And when they were alone in the dorm and Hannibal felt a tremendous desire to talk to the little one, he closed himself in a kind of mental cocoon, putting his headphones and pretending he was not there. If Hannibal would protect him properly, he should seek a rapprochement. But how?

It was then that Hannibal heard rumors that Alan had left the school without date to return because of a tragedy in the family. Which meant that Will would be alone, without friends and anyone that disturbed.

He would made his second move in the next morning.


End file.
